It was on July 9, 1716, that Fray Antonio Margil de Jesus, established the Mission Nuestra de Guadalupe de Nacogdoches, (Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission of Nacogdoches). The Mission, which was one of six missions established in East Texas by the Franciscans, was selected by Father Margil, President of the Zacatecan Missions, as his headquarters. This mission was never permanently abandoned until it
was replaced in 1802 by a Catholic Church, which stood on the Little Plaza at the present intersection of North and Main Streets. At the beginning of the Nineteenth Century, with the crumbling ruins of the Mission Guadalupe, under the guidance of Father Jose Maria de Jesus Degadillo, the er****on of the first parochial church building in East Texas took place on Church Plaza in 1802, directly in front of the present court house. This building served as a place of worship, until the collapse of the Fredonia Rebellion in 1827. At this time it was seized and used as barrack for the Twelfth Permanent Battalion, then stationed in Nacogdoches for the purpose of guarding the frontier against encroachments from the United States. Constraints, on those permitted to serve as minister, imposed by the political situation in Mexico, left most in Texas without the Sacraments. Fr. Diaz de Leon was assigned to the entire state. Rev. Diaz, known as the "the last Franciscan in Texas, will long be remembered for the letter which he wrote at the home of P. Borden on November 4, 1834, and which states"...it seems to me to be the last day of my life..." It was, sadly he was murdered while returning to Nacogdoches. Jurisdiction of the Catholic in the Republic of Texas had reverted to the Holy See and on April 12, 1840, Rev. John Timon, received appointment as the Prefect Apostolic of Texas. He named Right Reverend John M. Odin, DD, as Vicar General for the Republic of Texas. In 1840, Right Reverend John M. Odin, DD, appointed a committee with the duty of erecting a place of worship to replace the old church building. Texas was elevated in the ecclesiastical structure to a Diocese on May 4, 1847, when Pope Pius II erected the Diocese of Galveston (present day Houston-Galveston). By 1847, Reverend A. Chanrion had raised sufficient funds to begin the er****on of the new church building. In the fall of 1847, on North Pecan Street, by the Right Reverend Odin. This wooden structure stood for ninety years. Father Francis P. Crane MS, built a new Parish Church at the corner of North Street and Mimms Avenue in April 1936, made possible through a gift for the structure and the furnishings by Mr. & Mrs. J. H. Phelan. The new church building was built on property donated by Mrs. C.C. Rhein. Mrs Rhein also donated her home& which was used as a rectory for the priests, and a brick duplex which was used for a convent for the dominican Nuns. On April 26, 1937, carpenters began to move the Old Sacred Heart to Fern Lake, 10 miles down the Old Lufkin Road from Nacogdoches, for the construction of Saint Ann's Chapel. Saint Ann's was consecrated on July 26, 1937 (the Feast day of St. Ann) by the Most Reverend Christopher E. Byrne. The church building was moved to Center, Texas in 1951, where it served as a chapel until 1983 when it was converted into a parish hall. In 2001 Sacred Heart in Nacogdoches through the hard work of the parish staff and Very Reverend Monsignor James E. Young, VF was able to obtain the Old Church of the Sacred Heart for a continuation in the Building's History in our parish. Plans are currently underway to restore this gem in the crown to our most high Lord for the edification of all the faithful. On September 29, 1966, The Diocese of Galveston-Houston was divided to for the new Diocese of Beaumont. Sacred Heart in Nacogdoches and her mission Churches fell under the new Beaumont Diocese's jurisdiction where it remained for 22 more years. In 1987 the Holy See announced that East Texas was to become part of another Diocese. The Diocese of Tyler made up of 4 other Diocese and once again the Mother Church of Sacred Heart and her missions would be moved in the jurisdiction of another Diocese. On February 24, 1987, the Most Reverend Charles E. Herzig, DD (+), was appointed Bishop of the newly formed Diocese of Tyler. The current Sacred Heart Church is on property purchased and approved while still in the Diocese of Beaumont. Under the leadership of Very Reverend Monsignor James E. Young, VF, the dream of a new parish church building became reality. Ground breaking ceremonies were held on March 17, 1991 (the feast of St. Patrick) by the Most Reverend Charles E. Herzig, DD (+), and the dedication Mass was held June 26, 1992 (the feast of the Sacred Heart), by the Most Reverend Edmond Carmondy, DD, for the present Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
